Interview with High Priest Of Saturn 2013

By Bradley Smith

Your self-title debut is taking the underground like an ominous storm cloud.  Can you tell me about its creation?  Why did you choose to use 2 songs from your demo and how did you rework them on the new album? 

The album was recorded during the summer of 2012. We chose to re-record the songs because the demo was just that - a demo. We didn’t want to leave the songs as they were, so we made some enhancements and recorded the new versions. The songs had already evolved with live playing and rehearsing since the first recording, so it felt right to use them on the album. The differences are mostly in sound and performance, but we also extended some solo parts and made some changes to some riffs.

Your debut demo was so distinct and captivating to me.  The way the psychedelic vibe permeated the music as well as the dark, monotone atmosphere of the songs.  Anyways, when you set about writing for that demo what were your goals?  How did it feel to have so much attention based on the demo?  You even made Fenriz's band of the week because of it.

Our goals were just to record our music and make the best of it. We just wanted to make the demo available to whoever was interested. It spread a lot further than we had anticipated, which was really cool! We didn’t really do much to promote our music, it just happened.
 

I feel a certain epic scale to your music.  Your songs are like a musical ode to the cyclopean landscapes of Lovecraft.  What sort of visions does your own music create for you?  And do you feel there is a Lovecraftian influence on your lyrics and songwriting?

I do picture landscapes and empty, deserted places. There’s a Lovecraftian vibe to it in the way that there’s an ominous, foreboding feel to it, I especially feel this is present in ‘Kraken Mare’, as well as the end of ‘The Protean Towers’. ‘On Mayda Insula’ is in many ways a lighter track,  it feels more like floating through space.

There is also an ethereal quality to your music which is enhanced by the vocals and keyboards.  Is this dreamlike quality intentional?  And do you think that dreams have an active effect on your music? Which type of dream do you think is the most powerful both on you as a person and in regards to writing music?  What kind of dreams do you think god has (if god exists)?

A lot of the dreamlike quality is due to the production. Of course, the distant vocals are very intentional, but the overall airy and spacious sound adds a lot to the atmosphere. We think what you’re referring to as ‘dreamlike’ might be what other people call ‘drugged-out’, and we think your description might be more accurate. However, I (Merethe) do not think that dreams affect me too much as a songwriter, I don’t dream too much, and if I do, the dreams are very incoherent. It’s more about portraying certain feelings.

What made you choose the name High Priest Of Saturn?  How does Roman mythology cross the cultural and geographical gap to a band in Norway?  What links are there between Saturn and your music? 

We chose the name mainly because it sounds cool, and has a nice psychedelic vibe to it, but it also fits our music thematically. Saturn is associated with melancholy, death and the passing of time, themes which are all present in our lyrics. Roman, together with Greek and of course Norse mythology is a big part of the European cultural heritage, so it doesn’t really seem too foreign to us. The association with space through the planetary names makes it perfect for our music.

I know this is a bit off topic, but since your name has Saturn in it, what do you think of the theory that there might be life on Saturn's moon of Titan?  Do you think that there is other life travelling in the cosmic void?  What song do you think best embodies the theme of astral travel? (please say Planet Caravan?)

Who knows? There’s apparently no water on Titan, but there may exist life forms not dependent on water. We think it would be stupid not to believe in other life in the universe, since for all practical purposes, the universe is infinitely large. It would be statistically improbable for life not to exist anywhere else in the universe.

There are so many great songs about space travel. Planet Caravan is obviously amazing.  Others include ‘Set the controls for the heart of the sun’ and ‘Electric Wizard’

Being a resident of Trondheim I thought you might have some insight as to why the name of the city was changed from Nidaros to Trondheim.  When did it happen and what purpose did it serve?  How do you think that affected the psyche of the citizens?

The name of the city has changed several times, from Nidaros, to Trondhjem (a Danish form) and Trondheim. Nidaros was the medieval name, and many see it as the original name, although as far as we know this has not been proven. Trondheim was used as an area name, and many people also started using it as the name of the city itself, interchangeably with Nidaros, and after a while it took over. There has always been a debate about which name is the oldest, and in the 20s the name was changed back to Nidaros for around a year or so, before someone claimed that Trondheim was the original name, and it was changed back. It seems that people have always felt strongly about one name or the other, and around this time it got really heated, with people actually fighting and breaking each other's windows over it.

The cover art for your demo got me wondering your thoughts on the Art Deco movement.  What do you think of that style and why did you choose that piece to represent your first public release?  What is your favorite artistic style and why?

The demo cover is a modified version of the artwork for a calendar made by Austrian Artist Koloman Moser around 1900. We don’t know much about art at all, but stylistically I think it lies in the transition from art nouveau to art deco. Personally I prefer art nouveau because of the more organic feel. We chose the piece because we thought it looked amazing, and it also fits our music thematically with the hourglass and ouroboros. 

Turning over a bit towards influences and such, I know Jim Morrison and Pink Floyd have a special place in your heart.  What do you think is best period for music and why?  What do you think made Jim Morrison's music and lyrics so special?  Do you think there was a spiritual side to his music and do you think HPOS also has a spiritual side to their music? 

It’s presumptuous to decide what the best period is without having lived forever. The 60s and 70s were obviously great periods, but we weren’t around then, so it’s impossible for us to know how we would have reacted to and seen the music if we were living in that time. And if we go way back, to the 19th century and further, people didn’t even listen to music the way we do today. Music was only for collective listening at concerts, and played a completely different role. I understand that the meaning of your question likely was ‘which period produced the best music’ but ‘the best period for music’ might be today, because it’s so easy to share it, discover new bands and listen to music from all periods.

The way Jim Morrison combined poetry with melody was unique. His lyrics work just as well written as sung, which is a rare thing to find. Usually lyrics only work well in combination with the music it was written for.

Today spirituality is a watered down concept, which semantics are unclear. A lot of times people use it interchangeably with soulful or profound, other times it bears religious connotations. I think Jim Morrison’s music fits the former. Whether or not our music is ‘spiritual’ is for the listener to decide.

So what are your near-term plans for High Priest Of Saturn?  I know you haven't done much in the way of touring yet, but where would you like to go the most?  What band would you like to share the bill with the most and why?

First of all we’re playing the Heavy Days in Doom Town festival in Denmark, which we’re really looking forward to. We would really like to do more touring, but it’s difficult to organize with our schedules and economy. A summer tour would be nice, and we’re talking about driving through Sweden with our good friends and great musicians Spectral Haze. We would also love to play in the UK (and the rest of Europe) some time soon. Of course, it would be great to tour the US as well, but we don’t really see how we can make that happen in the closest future.

As we stand before the Protean Towers, what final words would you like to utter before we are swept into the nebulous void of deep space?  Thanks again for the interview, doom on!

Listen to Purple Hill Witch.